Reminder: National Guard drive-thru testing site held Thursday in Onalaska

The La Crosse County Health Department partnered with the Wisconsin National Guard and the City of Onalaska to host a free community drive-through testing site Thursday for anyone age 5-years and older with any one of the symptoms.

“We are really happy to host this event so that we can get some some more data and continue to address the COVID-19 crisis with science and data rather than opinions and speculation,” Onalaska Mayor Kim Smith said.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., or until tests run out at the Onalaska Omni Center (255 Riders Club Road, Onalaska). The health department anticipated the maximum number of kits, 400, will be utilized.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.

Nasal swab testing will be used at the site, and even those with mild symptoms are encouraged to attend. The testing site is intended for residents of La Crosse County. The health department noted if testing kids run out before the end of the event, an update will be released on Facebook and on its website.

Those who were tested are encouraged to return home and isolate themselves until they receive their test results. People will be notified of their test results by phone within 24-28 hours.

There may be a line for the event, and anyone wishing to participate will need to stay in the vehicle.

Providing a mass COVID-19 testing site offers a better understanding of the presence of the virus in the community, according to the La Crosse County Health Department.